Breaking the Mold: Ariella Rotstein Gille on Innovation, Grit, and Sustainable Change at ICA
Innovation isn’t just about coming up with new ideas - it’s about getting people to believe in them. And no one knows that better than Ariella Rotstein, Head of ImpactX at ICA Gruppen with the small task to find new, sustainable business models that actually work. She’s spent years navigating the world of corporate innovation, figuring out how to introduce fresh thinking into a massive organization without getting stuck in red tape.
But let’s be real - it’s never as simple as just having a good idea. “Innovation in big companies is 70% about convincing people and 30% about the actual work,” she laughs. So, how does she do it? We sat down with her to talk about her journey, struggles, and the lessons she’s learned along the way.
From Marketing to Innovation: A Happy Accident
Ariella didn’t set out to work in innovation. In fact, she started in marketing and just happened to find herself drawn to projects that required fresh thinking. One of those was launching ICA’s ‘I love eco’ range - 120 sustainable products developed in half the usual time. “That was the moment I realized how fun it is to bring something good into the world,” she says. “And that feeling stuck with me.”
Her jump into innovation? Pure chance. Over coffee with a former colleague, she casually asked if ICA needed someone on their innovation team. Six months later, she was in. “Honestly, a lot of my career moves have happened like that. Right place, right time - and a bit of guts.”
Making Innovation Stick
It’s one thing to come up with innovative ideas - it’s another to get a whole company to take them seriously. “You can’t just throw ideas at leadership and hope for the best,” Ariella explains. “You have to prove that innovation is worth the investment.”
So, how do you get people on board? Ariella breaks it down:
Get leadership buy-in. “If the top doesn’t believe in it, it won’t happen.”
Secure autonomy early on. “We need space to experiment before being tied to strict KPIs.”
Show quick wins. “People trust results. Once they see real business impact, they’re more willing to take bigger risks.”
Making Sustainability Make Sense
Ariella is focused on sustainable innovation - not just because it’s good for the planet, but because it makes business sense. One standout project was ICA’s food waste reduction initiative. Working with a startup, ICA piloted a service in its stores that cut food waste by 40%. “It wasn’t just a sustainability win - it made financial sense for store owners,” she says. “That’s the trick. If you want sustainability to stick, you have to tie it to the bottom line.”
But change doesn’t happen overnight. “In a big company, you have to start small. Prove one thing works, and suddenly, people are open to more.”
“Innovation in big companies is 70% about convincing people and 30% about the actual work.”
Lessons for Aspiring Innovators
If there’s one thing Ariella has learned, it’s that driving change isn’t for the faint of heart. Her advice for others trying to shake things up?
Get comfortable selling your ideas. “Innovation is just as much about storytelling as it is about execution.”
Celebrate small wins. “Even small successes build momentum.”
Find your allies. “You’re not going to win everyone over - focus on the people who get it.”
Have grit. “You’ll hear ‘no’ a hundred times before you get a ‘yes.’ Keep going.”
Final Thoughts
For Ariella, innovation isn’t just about new products or flashy ideas, it’s about changing mindsets and proving that sustainability and business growth can go hand in hand.
“You can’t always see how the dots connect when you’re in it,” she says. “But if you believe in something, you have to keep pushing.”
And if there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that Ariella isn’t done pushing yet.
Pathmakers
This article is part of the article series “Pathmakers”, telling the stories of those who carve new paths while understanding the existing ones, those who, contrary to entrepreneurs, see new possibilities in the existing, often creating change from within companies, organizations, and teams.
Written by Tove Chevalley, for more